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New chapter in space history

　　The Shenzhou-V， or “Divine Ship，” has carried the first Chinese into orbit and the country into the prestigious space club pioneered four decades ago by the former Soviet Union and the United States. As the inventor of the ancient rocket， the Chinese nation had cherished a space dream for centuries. The launch of its first satellite， the Dongfanghong， in 1970 ushered in China's space age. Now， the Shenzhou-V marks another giant stride in China's space trek.

　　As the world's largest developing country， China is more than proud of making its own contribution to human beings' outer space exploration.

　　By reigniting people's interest in the universe， China's latest accomplishment appears especially important for rejuvenating the world's space programmes， which have unfortunately been bogged down by accidents in recent years.

　　The blast-off of China's first manned spacecraft will definitely breathe new energy into the country's pursuit of space technologies for the overall welfare of its people. Just imagine what new seed varieties with higher yields and better qualities， which are developed in space， would mean to a country with 1.3 billion people. It is hoped that wider applications of space technology will turn out to be an important driving force in the country's economic and social development.

　　Expensive as they are， manned missions are worth it. In addition to offering a tremendous boost to a country's technological capabilities and creating a plenitude of other possibilities， they are a huge morale booster.

　　The successful launch of Shenzhou-V has clearly showcased the value of devotion， co-operation and pursuit of the unknown. And the upbeat spirit the first Chinese astronaut demonstrated in the face of the unknown will inspire the nation to take on challenges as it continues to evolve. （285 words）